Suitcase.



A. EADES.

SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. 19th..

1,21 1,829. Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

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" OFFICE.

.1. ES, OF ALTURAS, CALIFORNIA.

SUITCASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9,1911.

Application filed July 31, 1916. Serial No. 112,411.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANNA EADES, a citizen of the -United States, residing at Alturas, in the county of Modoc and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suitcases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in suit cases and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character which may be readily and conveniently converted into a table or the like.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character comprising a plurality of hingedly connected members adapted to be extended into alined relation together with means coacting with said members for maintaining the same in spaced position relative to a supporting surface.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved suit case whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The .novel features of the invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that -my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a case constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and in extended position, one of the closure members being in an open position and illustratin the mirror ooacting therewith; Fig. 2 is a ragmentary View in bottom plan of the device as herein embodied with the units in extended relation; Fig. 3 is a view in perspective illustrating the units in folded relation; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating certain details of the invention as herein disclosed; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially at right angles to the section in Fig. 4- and illustrating further details of the invention as herein included.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1, 2 and 3 comprise units included in my improved device and each of said units is in the form of a complete case provided with a hinged closure member 4 adapted to be held in closed adjustment with any ordinary 0r preferred locking members, as indicated at 5. The unit Sconstitutes the intermediate member and the unit 1 is adapted to swing to one side of the intermediate unit 3, while the third unit 2 is adapted to swing to the opposite side of the intermediate unit 3, and when in such compacted or folded relation the units are adapted to be locked in such relation through the medium of the locking members 6. It has been found of especial advantage to provide the intermediate unit 3 with the hinged leaf member -7 provided with a mirror 8 which is of material advantage to travelers or to a person camping out. The opposed faces of the units 1, 2 and- 3, when in folded or compacted relation, are provided with the transversely disposed guideways 9 which are adapted to aline when the units 1 and 2 are extended and have adapted for coaction therewith the slides 10. It is also to be noted that the guideways 9 are adjacent the opposite ends of the units.

i L denotes a supporting leg herein disclosed as embodying two telescopically connected sections 11 and 12, the hollow section 11 having threaded therethrough a clamping screw 14 coacting with the second section 12 for maintaining the sections 11 and 12 in a predetermined relative adjustment. It is to be understood that four supporting legs are employed in order to impart the requisite support to the units when the units 1 and 2 are in extended position. The upper end of the section 11 of the supporting leg L is pivotally engaged, as at 15, with the outer end portion of the slide 10. Pivotally engaged, as at 16, with the inner end portion of the adjacent slide 10, is the outer end of one of the pivoted sections 17 of a brace member B, the outer end of the second pivoted section 17 of the brace B being pivotally engaged, as at 18, with a loop member or band 19 secured to the section 11 of the supporting leg L adjacent the outer 'end thereof. The guideways 9 hereinbefore referred to are positioned within the depressed portions 20 formed in the .faces of the units 1, 2 and 3 so that when the units are in compacted or folded relation the supporting legs L together With $14611 braces B will be housed or confined therein so that y no hindrance or obstruction will be given 60 the requisite foldedlpositions of the units.

When the units are to be folded the sec- "tions 12 of the legs are forced within the sections 11 so as to shorten the length thereof and the slides'are adjusted to .be POSI- tioned within the guideways 9 of the inter- 'mediate section 3. The supporting legs L are then swung inwardly of theintermediate section 3. After the units 1 and 2 have been extended the slides 10 are moved outwardlyof the guideways 9 so that the legs L may be positioned directly beneath the extended units 1 and 2 with the slides 10 positioned beneath the intermediate unit 3. It is also preferred to provide the units'l and 3 with coacting locking means as indicated at 21 to hold said unit '1 against upward swinging movement when the device is in use as a stand or table.

From the foregoing description it 'is thought to be obvious that a suit case constructed in accordance with my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly. well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be underclaimed.

with said slides, and brace members operatively engaged with the slides and the supporting legs.

2. A device of the character described comprising three pivotally connected units adapted to be folded into superimposed relation, the corresponding faces of said units being provided with guideways adapted to aline when the units are in extended relation, slides engageable within said guide ways, supporting legs pivotally engaged with said slides, and brace members operatively en aged with the slides and the supporting egs, each of said brace members comprising pivotally connected sections.

3. A device of the character described comprising three pivotally connected units adapted to be folded into superimposed relation, the corresponding faces of said units being provided with guideways adapted to aline when the units are in extended relation, slides engageable within said guideways, supporting legs pivotally engaged with said slides, and brace members operatively engaged with the slides and the supporting legs, each of said brace'members comprising pivotally connected sections, each of said units having depressed portions in which the guideways are arranged.

4. A device of the character described comprising three pivotally connected units, the end units beingadapted to be folded over the opposite faces of the intermediate unit, the corresponding faces of said units when extended being provided with guideways adapted to aline, slides engageable within said guideways, supporting legs pivotally engaged with the slides, andbrace members operatively engaged with the slides and the supporting legs, the guideways of the intermediate unit being of a length to entirely receive the slides so that the units may be folded.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence'of two witnesses.

- ANNA EADES. Witnesses:

J. G. BALLARD, C. S. BALDWIN. 

